It doesn’t get more rock ‘n roll than crashing at a friend’s place after a late-night gig and waking up long past sunrise. For travelers hoping to amp up their accommodations to more than a dusty futon that requires using your guitar case as a pillow, there are plenty of hotels around the globe that cater to music lovers and musicians alike. From on-site nightclubs and extended breakfast hours to in-house music studios and impressive record collections, these hotels will make any music junkie feel like a rock star.
1. Nhow Hotel: Berlin, Germany
Guests at the Nhow Hotel (see photo above) can borrow a Gibson guitar or keyboard via room service to practice their tunes before heading to the on-site studio to lay down tracks with the help of the hotel’s music manager. The studio, where artists like Rea Garvey and Skylar Gray have recorded, features two control rooms plus a recording booth equipped with the latest audio equipment Sessions start at 150 euros for a half-day studio session. Not ready to lay down tracks just yet? The property hosts a monthly open mic night. Past audience members have included reps from neighboring Universal and MTV studios.
2. Aria Hotel Budapest: Hungary, Budapest
Photo via Aria Hotel Budapest
The Aria Hotel Budapest, which opens next month, will be the Hungarian capital’s first music-themed hotel. The fully restored 1870s building, which once served as a bank, features guest rooms decorated by a local interior designer. Each room’s décor is inspired by one of four music styles: contemporary, jazz, classical or opera. One classical studio suite has been dedicated to Hungarian composer Franz Liszt and features a marble bistro table and chairs, and a lacquered French Style writing table. Guests will also be supplied with an in-room iPad, which will give them access to the hotel’s extensive music library.
Conceived by local hip-hop DJ, DJ Bijal, Hotel BPM is a minimalist-style 75-room hotel. The name refers to “beats per minute,” or the tempo of a song. Each month the hotel features a playlist of tunes curated by DJ Bijal that streams throughout the property and includes artists like Jay Z and Baauer. For those aspiring DJs, the property is known to team up with local Scratch DJ Academy to offer free DJ lessons. For those who prefer to sit back and listen, the location is a quick cab ride to Barclays Center, where the summer 2015 concert lineup includes Iggy Azalea, The Who and Imagine Dragons.
4. Fontainebleau: Miami Beach, Florida
You’ll party like a Kardashian at Fontainebleau. Every month the multi-towered resort overlooking the Atlantic Ocean holds a concert called Bleaulive. Past performers include Pharrell, Timbaland, Blondie, Pitbull, and Tegan and Sara. Up next is Neon Trees March 13 and packages start at $75, which includes a two-hour open bar. Even if you’re not staying on a concert night, Fontainebleau boasts four bars, four lounges and the Liv nightclub to get your dance on.
5. Backstage Hotel: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Designed to accommodate touring musicians, the Backstage Hotel is more hostel than hotel and features both private and shared rooms for up to five people decorated with musical accents like saxophones and guitars hanging on the walls. Realizing that nothing sucks more than missing breakfast after a late night gig, Backstage offers extended breakfast service to accommodate those late night concerts. They also host open mic nights on Tuesdays with the help of the Amsterdam Songwriters Guild. Although management remains tight lipped about bands that have stayed there, stealthy guests might find rockers’ signatures scribbled onto the bar’s piano.
Jennifer Nalewicki is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer whose articles have been published in The New York Times, Hemispheres, Details and more.
